Fender American Vintage II 1966 Jazzmaster, Rosewood Fingerboard, 3-Color Sunburst (026)

With its comfort-contoured offset body, this futuristic electric guitar is about as far from a boxy archtop as can be imagined. Yet, the design was originally intended to provide a luxury playing experience and tempt jazz guitarists into playing solid-body electric guitars. 

First advertised as a guitar that contained “all the well-known Fender developments,” where “every convenience is provided,” the Jazzmaster model introduced in 1958 was seen as a top-of-the-line-instrument in the Fender catalog. It was also the first Fender model to feature the innovative rhythm and lead circuit dreamed up by Plant Manager Forrest White, which was added to expand the tones of Jazzmaster. 

While it may have failed to catch on with the jazz crowd, the American Vintage II 1966 Jazzmasters featured a more dolled-up look—including bound necks with pearloid block fingerboard inlays, as well as matching painted headstocks—all of which appealed to surf players in the ‘60s, and later, indie-rock, alternative, and even country players.

Body: Alder
Body Finish: Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Body Shape: Jazzmaster®
Control Knobs: White "Witch Hat"
Fingerboard: Bound Round-Laminated Rosewood
Hardware Finish: Nickel/Chrome
Pickguard: 4-Ply Tortoiseshell
Position Inlays: Pearloid Block
Neck Finish: Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Neck Construction: 4-Bolt
Neck Pickup: Pure Vintage '66 Single-Coil Jazzmaster®
Side Dots: Black
Headstock: Jazzmaster®
Bridge Cover/Tailpiece: Pure Vintage Floating Tremolo with Tremolo Lock Button and Push-In Tremolo Arm
String Nut: Bone
Bridge Pickup: Pure Vintage '66 Single-Coil Jazzmaster®
Controls: Lead Circuit Controls (Slide Switch Down): Master Volume, Master Tone; Rhythm Circuit Controls (Slide Switch Up): Two Thumbwheel Controls for Neck Pickup Volume and Tone
Pickup Switching: 3-Position Toggle (Lead Circuit)
Pickup Configuration: SS
Bridge: Pure Vintage Jazzmaster® with Threaded Steel Barrel Saddles
Tuning Machines: Pure Vintage Single Line "Fender Deluxe"
Case/Gig Bag: Vintage-Style Black (Orange Interior)
Fingerboard Radius: 7.25" (184.1 mm)
Fret Size: Vintage Tall
Neck Material: Maple
Refinement Neck Material: Maple
Number of Frets: 21
Nut Width: 1.650" (42 mm)
Scale Length: 25.5" (64.77 cm)
Truss Rod: Vintage-Style Butt Adjust